Electrolyzing apparatus



lr. N. mmm. ELECTRULYZING APPARATUS. APPLICATIDN FILED MAR. 27| 1919.

Patented Apr. 20,1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

CLAUS NISSEN RIIBEB, 0F TRONDHJEM, NORWAY, ASSIGNOR T0 NORSK ALKALI A/S 0F TRONDHJEM, NORWAY.

ELECTROLYZIN G APPARATUS.

Application fili-d March 27, 1919.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I CLAUS NlssnN Rnnnn, of Hans Hageru )s (ate 8, Trondhjem, in the Kingdom of `Norway, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in llleetrolyzing Apparatus; and l do hereby de Clare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referenee being had to the aeeompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of referenee marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

In electrolyzing apparatus particularly adapted for the eleetrolysis oi alkaline ehlorids, in which the anode liquid has to pass through a horizontal or sulistantially horizontal diaphragm, the latter (fons-ists of a porous layer distributed upon a perforated or retieulated support which is generally olt metal and thus constituting the Cathode of the apparatus. This porous layer may con sist, for instance, of asbestos boards or eloth upon whieh is placed a layer of a pulverulent stable material; or the porous layer may consist only of a pulverulent or fibrous mass.

In this type of apparatus, when it is desired to obtain a strong lye with a good eurrent output, it is important that at every point of the diaphragm su'ri'aee equal quantities of liquid pass through in eaeh square centimeter. It has been found, however, that it is difiienlt to obtain this result at the line ol. Contact between the .vertical walls of the electrolyzing vessel and the diaphragm. Even when no erevices are present at this point the liquid Will`pass more easily along the said surface of contact than through the small particles of the diaphragm mass.

The' anode liquid whieh thus passes through more rapidlyv will ol course become a thinner lye than that which passes through at other points of the diaphragm. This eireumstance involves an unneeessary dilution of the liquor of the clectrolyzing apparatus and this again involves higher evaporation costs during the further treatment ol the lye. y

According to the present invention these difficulties are avoided by plaeing upou the diaphragm or partially embedding in the hody ol the same and at a short distauee from the Walls of the anode ehamber suit- Specitlcation of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

serial No. 285,669.

able members sueh as fillets, rods, pipes or other bodies ot' a suitable shape aml made of material with high eapaeity of resistance, for instanee hardburned stoneware, china, glass or eonerete, in such manner that the top of said members is situated above the diaphragm surface. Obviously a frame consisting of one single piece may be. employed, this beingr partieularly suitable in the ease of small apparatus.

The trough-shaped spare whieh is thereby formed and whirh runs along the, walls of the anode eompartment is supplied, it necessary up to the top edge of said members, witlra pasty tightening mass eonsisting for instauee ot' a tine powder of asbestos, alumina` elay, sulfate of barium or oxid of iron, into which is ineorporated a suitable quantity ot water or a salt solution. By this a1'- rangement there is provided quite a thick tightening layer along the edges, hereby the veloeity of the passage ot' the liquid is redueed to the desired degree.

,\n embodiment ol' the invention is illustrated in the aeeompauyiug drawing, wherein Figure l is a seetionul view oi an eleetrolytirl (-ell eonstrueted in aeeordanee with the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a` sei-tional view on an enlarged seale showing a detail ofthe arrangement.

ln the illustrated example. l is the wall of' the eathode eompartment and l is the wall ol' the anode eouqmrtment. A\ grate 2 supports a serenai 2 whieh is eovered by a layer oll porous material 3. frame. 4 is embedded in the diaphragm layer near to and along the wall and the space between this frame and the wall (l is lilled with a pasty mass 5 ot' the eharueter above referred to.

('laims:

l. Illeetrolytie apparatus comprising a substantially horizontal diaphragm consisting of' a layer ol' loose porous material, an aumh-eliamber wall about said dialiliragm, a member oi' stable material in said rhamber and spaeed from said wall to i'orm a trough adjarent the wall, uml a layer ol' pasty. liq- |lidqwuetrable material in said trough.

Vfn eleetrolyzing apparatus with a horizontal or substantially horizontal diaphragm comprising a loose layer of porous pulverulent material, members of stable material upon and partly embedded in said diaphlngm, said members being spaced from in claim 2 in which the trou lbformn the llnes of cnntnrt between the Manin-dgn mumbai-s mns-lst of a number 0. struct/uta und the walls 01 the :mode compartment to nlnments as dvscmlmd.

form '.1 trough adjuvant .smid walls and a In testimony that vl claim the foregoing a-s 15 5 layer Uf nasty, lqnrlqucnctrabe n'mteral 'm my invention T have signed my name '1n said. Lrnngh. prf-nuwe of two snhmnrlnng wtnsses. y 3. A'n elctvrulyzgn' ummm-tns .is flesnrllmd CLAUS NIHSEN HUBER. 1n chum 1n winch the Lmnglrfmnung members cunsst 0i' n single frame wholly Y'Vitnnssus: 10 inlmursvll in the lqnd. J` .'H. AL, 

